Elegant entrance for Lexus LX570

A NEW look for the leviathan of the Lexus range has been revealed, as Toyota’s luxury arm showed the new LX570 ahead of the Pebble Beach Concours d' Elegance in the United States before a December arrival Down Under.

As part of the major facelift, the LX570 retains only side door panels and the roof from the current model, as well as getting an overhauled interior.

The 570 now wears the spindle grille but in one-piece form, as well as LED headlights, sequential indicators, new-look rear tail-lights and redesigned bumpers front and rear.

The big eight-seat off-roader also gets upgraded from six to eight speeds in its automatic transmission, as well as adding the Drive Mode Select system for drivetrain and adaptive suspension adjustments on- and off-road, with standard 20-inch alloy wheels or the option of 21-inch alloys.

While the drivetrain is upgraded to an eight-speed auto, the 5.7-litre V8 remains under the bonnet, albeit with power and torque increases. US figures show 282kW and 546Nm, which would be a jump of 12kW and 16Nm over the current model.

The 4WD system remains full-time, with a Torsen lockable centre diff running 40:60 front and rear in most driving situations, with the ability to tailor the driveline via Drive Mode Select.

Expect the braked towing capacity to remain at 3500kg and the speaker count to remain at 19 for the sound system, a 450-watt Mark Levinson Surround Sound set-up.

The LX – to be offered in one model variant with an option pack upgrade available – has also benefitted from the addition of a head-up display, a centre dash display screen upgrade and a panoramic view monitor for the driver.

The infotainment system screen upgrade headlines a major interior makeover, with a 12.3-inch screen and the brand’s staple Remote Touch Interface now used for controlling most of its functions.

LED lighting illuminates the cabin and load area, controlled by touch-sensitive switchgear, with larger (11.6-inch up from 7.0-inch) rear screens for the rear entertainment system and manual side sunshades to keep the TV screens visible for the rear occupants.

Safety systems have also been addressed as part of the update, including ten airbags as part of the Safety System + that adds the accident prep Pre-Collision System, lane-departure warning, auto high beam and radar adaptive cruise control, as well as blind spot warning and tyre pressure monitoring.

Wireless charging for Qi-compatible mobile phones, a three-spoke wood-rimmed steering wheel and the option of ventilation and heating for the rear seats (which are fitted with their own climate controls and USB inputs) are also on the LX specification sheet.

Lexus Australia chief executive Sean Hanley said the new model would enhance and update the Australian line-up.

“LX570 will continue Lexus' product-led strategy, delivering with confident new styling, performance, technology and luxury features,” Mr Hanley said.

“We look forward to introducing these new models to the Australian market in December.”